Lessons

<FAITO> As Shousei leaves the hospital, he finds that same attendant staring at him again.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei raises a eyebrow.
PM <FAITO> She raises one back.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He pauses at the threshold for just a moment, considering. Considering… guh. Yes. He's in a very different mood now.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Do- do you want something?" He turns to look at her.
PM <FAITO> She nods.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…What is it?"
PM <FAITO> She points to a piece of paper on a corkboard: MODELS WANTED, sketch and fashion design. MUST BE HANDSOME MEN.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> That is quite a look he's giving the corkboard.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> If he had bangs, one eyebrow would not be visible.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "I… no. No thank you." This does not explain the staring at all.
PM <FAITO> She visibly deflates, but nods - if you can call that little bob a nod.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…" He nods again, and sighs. "I suppose I appreciate the fact that you feel I'm qualified, but no." He attempts to leave for real this time.
PM <FAITO> She sniffles a little.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …Notmybusinessnotmybusinessnotmybusiness I need to go meet people.
PM <FAITO> (Fleeing the scene?)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (sadly, yes. his courage is not high enough for this.)
PM <FAITO> Heee
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (but he shall flee, and wait for instructions, and do other things, yes.)
PM <FAITO> (Did he already have an appointment with Kisses? Or is he going to bug someone else?)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (Kisses said she was going to send him instructions, so that's up to you.)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (probably her or Lereaux.)
PM <FAITO> BING!
PM <FAITO> Shousei has a message.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Oh, good. He checks it.
PM <FAITO> "Are you ready for your training, squire?" - SansMarie - Lereaux's character name.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Huh. "I have some free time.", he texts back.
PM <FAITO> ….Meet me at the park.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> I'll head there now, if that's all right.
PM <FAITO> A moment later, there's another ping. An attached file with a visual tutorial program. Coded this myself. Handy pop-ups to show you the ropes. I'm suuuuper-busy, so unless Will calls, I'm kinda swamped! - KissesXOXO
PM <FAITO> "Would you like to run this file? Y/N"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …Huh. Neat. He sends back a Thank you. to Kisses and hits Y.
PM <FAITO> Kisses' face shows up, anime-fied with her combat visor covering her eyes. "Heya! I'm the illustrious Kisses-sama, the goddess of combat analysis! I'll give you handy hints in battle! Ain't I sweet?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Even /Shousei/ can't help but laugh at that.
PM <FAITO> "Let's go! I need demons to analyze, n00b!"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Oh.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Well, he's still heading to the park.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> So there's that!
PM <FAITO> At the park, the place is calm even under AR. Apparently, word is starting to spread that the place is 'haunted by a Ghost in the Shell' or some similar nonsense. Lereaux is currently vexed, pouting, and arguing with a regular.
PM <FAITO> "That's, just, like, your opinion, man."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> By the time he's at the park, under AR, Veils is humming loudly.
PM <FAITO> "Ooooh! Spreading these rumors is only going to make things worse! Look, I was /there/. There is no ghost of the park!"
PM <FAITO> The hippie shrugs. "You are too enamoured of your necessary consciousness. Me? I'm free to explore alternative theories."
PM <FAITO> "I have FACTS!"
PM <FAITO> "And?"
PM <FAITO> They stare at each other, as if both convinced they've completely proven their respective positions.
PM <FAITO> Then, hearing the humming, they both look at Shousei.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He's just watching, crossing his arms.
PM <FAITO> "I'm so glad you're here!" Lereaux goes over to him. Wearing aviators and a leather jacket, she looks both more imposing and even more likely to attack than in her usual getup. "Tell this oaf that there's no ghost of East Side Park?"
PM <FAITO> The guy waves it off. "Mamat. And maybe you just can't detect vibrations like I can."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…How would I know?" It's the truth, but hey.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "I don't believe in ghosts, but what is this about?"
PM <FAITO> They both glance at him, but go back to scowling at each other. Mamat throws in. "People are sayin' a ghost tried to kill two people in this park. And this is my chill park, so I'm planning an exorcism." He taps his skates, grinning. "I just need the right cans to draw a talisman over the whole treeline. The aerial view's gonna rock."
PM <FAITO> Lereaux looks at Shousei like she's expecting him to defend her honor. Or at least hit the guy.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He tilts his head. "You're going to hang cans in trees to stop a ghost?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> She can defend her own honor. "And you're standing here arguing with a man who's going to hang cans in trees to stop a ghost." He grins.
PM <FAITO> They both stare at him. "Spraypaint!"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Oh, /that/ makes it better."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Er… isn't that techically graffiti?"
PM <FAITO> "Yes!" they both yell.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "And isn't that horribly illegal to do in a public park?" He quirks an eyebrow.
PM <FAITO> "Yes!" they both yell. Mamat seems greatly amused. Lereaux…yeah. No.

AM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei weighs this.
AM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Well, /I/ came here to learn how this Persona thing works, and I expect /one/ of you to give me some hints if either of you want more ice cream."
AM <FAITO> Lereaux…looks away. "I cannot be bribed."
AM <FAITO> Mamat sighs, "Hey, I know a thing or two about Para-"
AM <FAITO> "THAT SAID…I have a duty to train you. And no duty to police this idiot."
AM <FAITO> "Idiot? Hey, I-"
AM <FAITO> "SHALL WE, Murakami?"
AM <FAITO> "…you are one crazy babe…"
AM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Sure, though now I'm curious?"
AM <FAITO> The icy glare that follows is both wondrous and terrifying.
AM <FAITO> "H-how about I come along? I know a good spot with some simple demons. Pretas and stuff, where no one will bug ya."
AM <FAITO> He hops up. "Mamat the Mendicant, at your technical service."
AM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Nice to meet you, Mamat." He smirks, then looks at Lereaux. "I appreciate your offer very much. Perhaps people will see how much fun we're having and start forgetting this ghost thing?"
AM <FAITO> She frowns. "This isn't fun, it's trai-….training for better…fun." She grumbles, and Mamat can't help but laugh his ass off.
AM <FAITO> Which makes her pout ,which sends him to the floor. Which makes her furious.
AM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…You keep inspiring people to befriend you, don't you."
AM <FAITO> Her hand goes towards her gun…which, while it has the colored lines of Argon tech ALSO has an Airsoft logo.
AM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He's smiling at her.
AM <FAITO> She draws and fires. Mamat wails, cupping himself.
AM <FAITO> "Oh, relax! I only hit your thigh. Warning shot. Now show us this secret spot."
AM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Soon enough, you'll be dragged around by a dozen irritating friends. And I bet you'll be happy."
AM <FAITO> There is a barrel pointed in his general direction.
AM <FAITO> She gives off an iritated "tch!" and holsters it. "Let's go, Mendicant Mamat!"
AM <FAITO> Grumbling about his 'zen thing', he rolls along leading the way.
<Jaito> Lereux and Mamat are still glaring, even as they head into the thicket. "You are NOT spraypainting a talisman over the whole park!"
PM <Jaito> "…I thought you were an Ally of Justice. You're the worst sentai ev-"
PM <Jaito> "Stop talking. Now." Click.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> This is going to be funn.
PM <Jaito> As they cross the threshold, there's a ping on their COMPS - a wide-band hail that would bring them into a conference call.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He's almost disappointed that they'll be distracted from sniping at each other. Who's it from?
PM <Jaito> The code says Mizunami(1500). Name and tribe.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He glances at the other two and then pokes the accept button.
PM <Jaito> The others follow his lead. A woman's voice pops onto the channel. "You're not demons. Fine. I need your help! In fact, I demand it in the name of the Emperor."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "This place has an Emperor?" He raises an eyebrow.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "What do you want?"
PM <Jaito> "The emperor is the emperor, baka! I need the three of you for a hunt-and-destroy mission. Two of my sword-brothers are trapped at the heart of this forest, wounded. I can't go in alone- I'm not combat-equipped. I'm just a spotter."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Ah, a 'kill this many monsters' run? "Sure." He shrugs.
PM <Jaito> "At least you know your place. You'll be rewarded for your service. Go forth, and show no mercy! By the name of Akihito!" The comm fades.
PM <Jaito> Lereaux…sighs. "…Are all Japanese so damned condescending?"
PM <Jaito> Mamat shrugs. "Let's kick some ass!"
PM <Jaito> Lereaux blinks. "All right…but who's in command?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei chuckles and starts heading into the forest.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "I think your second question answers your first."
PM <Jaito> "-h-hey, don't be so reckless!" She follows, though, looking irritated. Mamat laughs and starts to skate over grass - those must be some interesting skates.
PM <Jaito> (Quick Alertness?)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (0 :D)
PM <Jaito> As they move through the forest, Lereaux falls into a tactical focus. Mamat, on the other hand, just whistles. "By the way…I don't fight, so…"
PM <Jaito> She turns and glares at him. "Why didn't you-"
PM <Jaito> ATTACK: 1 - SURPRISE! POWER: 2 vs. ARMOR: 1 - 2 stress! LEREAUX [ ] [X] [ ].
PM <Jaito> A bloody rend appears across her back, as if the shadows themselves leapt out and attacked her.
PM <Jaito> ATTACK: 3- Surprise! POWER: 2 vs. ARMOR: 3 - 2 stress! MAMAT: [ ] [X]
PM <Jaito> They both cry out…but Shousei's got his own problems.
PM <Jaito> ATTACK: 0 - MISS! A claw narrowly misses Shousei's face!
PM <Jaito> (Aaaaand…what's SHousei's Alertness so I can set Initiative?)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (1)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Damnit!" Shousei's eyes snap open, and he draws his sword just as some horrible creature comes within an inch of him- lucky.
PM Jaito changed the topic to INITIATIVE: Lereaux, Shousei, Mamat, Preta1, Preta2, Preta3 CURRENT ASPECTS: ????
PM <Jaito> Lereaux draws her sword in her main hand, tossing her pistol to her left. "Nike! Hama!" A blue glow arises from around her and an android of wings, blades, and fury gestures…
PM <Jaito> ATTACK: 5 vs. DEFENSE: 1 - EXPELLED! A great descending pillar of light and sigils just…unmakes one of the Pretas.
PM <Jaito> (Shousei's action.)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He hisses through his teeth, letting himself go in favor of the role he's playing and almost /offended/ that a bunch of trash mobs would attack them from surprise. Shousei leaps at the one that attacked him and attempts to just about decapitate it.
PM <Jaito> (Go for it! Weapons!)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (2)
PM <Jaito> ATTACK: 2 vs. DEFENSE: 1 - Hit! POWER: 4 vs. DEFENSE: 0….
PM <Jaito> As the Preta implodes….a light flashes in Shousei's hands. The….the sword!
PM <Jaito> Mamat starres blankly at it, even as he sprays black paint right into a Preta's face.
PM <Jaito> MANEUVER! Preta is now BLINDED.
PM <Jaito> It swings back…
PM <Jaito> But might as well be striking air.
PM <Jaito> Lereaux turns and lunges blade-first at the blind creature.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Heh…"
PM <Jaito> …which is good enough to finish it…but…the sword. It's familiar, after all. The Sword of Conviction, in his hands once more.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Huh." He looks down at it curiously.
PM <Jaito> Funny. It looks a little like Oberon's sword.
PM <Jaito> That's different, but the name and stats remain the same.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He grins. "I missed this thing!"
PM <Jaito> Lereaux sighs. "All right, commander. How about setting some ground rules. There's other demons on this field, and we ARE carrying dead weight."
PM <Jaito> She glares at Mamat, who grins just to piss her off.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Where did it come from? He has no idea, but this game is full of surprises.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He cleans it off and slips it back into his belt-sash-veil-thing. "Ground rules? Do tell."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "That thing didn't hurt you too much, right?" He says, less gleefully.
PM <Jaito> She shakes her head. "I'm fine. But if you're in command…give us orders or something. Our health is your burden, now. We need a logical strategy."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…I didn't really consider being in /charge/." It occurs to him that that's one interpretation of what he said. Oh well. "That's a good point, though. Strategy is… useful."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Really. He's never in charge. He just sort of… does things. Hmm… "Well, what can you two do?"
PM <Jaito> Lereaux nods. "I'm capable with firearms and close-combat weapons, as well as having my Persona, Nike. I have some basic healing and support magic, as well as Hama to banish the weak."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He tilts his head, considering this, then nods.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "And you?" He looks at Mamat.
PM <Jaito> Mamat pipes in. "I've got a few tinctures and potions if things get ugly, but mostly I've just got my skates for mobility and my sprays to confuse, distract, and demoralize. I don't have the right to take a life, even a demon's."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He thinks for a moment, tapping his fingers against the hilt of his sword. "Well. We seem to be heavy with /options/…" He looks back into the forest. "About how far do you think we are to the heart?"
PM <Jaito> Mamat shrugs, taking out a smartphone. "There's no more than 5 more Pretas here. It looks like a straight shot…buuuuut we might wanna hurry. I'm seeing two humans, poor condition, roughly 100 yards ahead."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He nods. "Then… a straight shot is probably more ambushes. I don't know how much healing you have, but they'll need some." Shousei glances to the trees. "I'm going to get a better look. If we can catch them off guard, this will be easy. If /not/… I think bait, then pincer…" He hasn't really thought about that before, and his voice trails off as he heads for a tree with a good number of…
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …branches he can skitter up. "Keep your backs to something for a moment, will you?"
PM <Jaito> They both nod. IT's funny…it's like they trust him.
PM <Jaito> (Stealth?)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Why in hell would anyone do that?
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (8 :v)
PM <Jaito> (And now…Alertness!)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (…3.)
PM <Jaito> …as he scans and moves around the trees…he can make them out. Five of those same monsters - short, pot-bellied, and gray-skinned little goblins with wide maws. There's a clearing up ahead where two young men with Rising Sun armbands are unconscious.
PM <Jaito> …and a transmitter has been left on, showing a hologram of a woman, repeating the same message over and over. THe same one he heard.
PM <Jaito> …a trap.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …That's a spectacularly evil grin.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> This just got so very interesting. The best strategy if this /weren't/ a trap would be to secure the hostages first, wouldn't it? Which would make this so easy as a trap…
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He notes the locations of each goblin and then shimmies down from the tree.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Good news! It's a trap."
PM <Jaito> They both stare at him blankly.
PM <Jaito> For once, they agree…that Shousei is crazy.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He grins. "What? It means no one is really hurt, we have the advantage, and the situation just got interesting. Win, win, win."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "So! I found the pretas- we'll take them out first… then you two can approach the two 'wounded' idiots while I sneak up on them, Mamat can blind them, and then… well. We'll see, won't we."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Sound fun?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (ahh. then!)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (ignore everything after "sneak up on them".)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…and then we'll see what's going on. Sound fun?" (There was no momentary blip.)
PM <Jaito> Lereaux nods. "It's the best way to ensure no one's hurt. An apter plan than I expected from you."
PM <Jaito> Mamat nods, grinning. "Much apter."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He rolls his eyes and waves his hand dismissively. "'Give us a plan, Veils. Tell us what to do. Oh, it's /good/? We had just resigned ourselves to death…' Hmmph."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "The closest one's that way. Come on then."
PM <Jaito> They follow, taking his head. (One more Stealth…and 2 Pretas or 3?)
PM Michael_Lin is now known as Plushiemancer
PM Night_Misaki is now known as Kaji
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (7, and 3. :3)
PM <Jaito> He leads them towards an ambush point…where three Pretas are gnawing on the inside of what looks like a suit of powered armor…red, jelly-like paste is dripping from the joints…it's…yeah. There's bones poking out of some of the ripped areas.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …Ew.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei looks at them both, gesturing to Mamat in what he hopes conveys 'do you have anything that can get all three of them'?
PM <Jaito> He winks, taking what looks like a….a grenade from an interior pocket. Toss!
PM <Jaito> The Pretas look up as they're enveloped in pink gas…and they they start hugging each other, gibbering about LoVe and EaTiNg each other.
PM <Jaito> Lereaux looks disgusted. Mamat shrugs.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …That is awesome.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …Shousei waits for a moment to see if they actually start eating each other before he decides to stab them. If they're going to do it /themselves/…
PM <Jaito> One of the Pretas lashes out at another, tearing it in two. The other survivor looks up…and they gaze at each other…and start to share the meat.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…" Moving on!
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "You are a beautifully evil man." He pats Mamat's shoulder.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Off to the other two.
PM <Jaito> Mamat smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.
PM <Jaito> (Stealth again!)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (5.)
PM <Jaito> …the other two Pretas are currently tossing a ball back and for-…oh, that's the still-helmeted head of the hovercraft pilot that originally brought the 1500 team here.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> For the love of-
PM <Jaito> Lereaux grips her gun hard enough to make it creak.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He puffs and tries miming again- he's going to go around and hit one of them them, hopefully at the same time as Lereaux takes out the other.
PM <Jaito> She nods, but gestures for him to wait. Pulling back slightly, she makes a prayer-like gesture…and her Persona appears above her…blessing them both. Their weapons glow faintly.
PM <Jaito> She nods for him to go, now!
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei creeps around quickly, keeping low to the ground. The head of the pilot goes wide over the head of one preta, who fails to catch it mostly because it's been severed in half.
PM <Jaito> (Weapons!)
PM <Jaito> PLAYER ADVANTAGE!
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (1)
PM <Jaito> There are two flashes of red-white…and two dead Pretas. Lereaux nods, satisfied, as she does what she can to settle the body of the desecrated NPC.
PM <Jaito> Mamat….instead of mocking her, actually does a brief Buddhist prayer.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "This game is really gory sometimes…" Shousei looks a little sad. "I guess that's part of the realism."
PM <Jaito> "How we treat a fantasy informs how we treat reality…is a stranger any more real than a simulation? Are you any more likely to show them compassion or aid?" Lereaux…frowns.
PM <Jaito> Mamat looks surprised. He shrugs, "I'm the only thing in my world that exists. One delusion or another, whatevs. It's how I face it that defines who I am, y'know?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei tilts his head again. "Huhm… I don't mean to be rude." He smiles slightly. "I've just been trying to roleplay… badly, I suspect."
PM <Jaito> They both laugh.
PM <Jaito> Even Lereaux, who shrugs. "I'd never figure you for an actor, anyway. But it's good to see you getting into the spirit."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He frowns again. "You two are weird."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Time to step into the trap and see who set it?"
PM <Jaito> They glance at each other…which turns to a glare.
PM <Jaito> "Huh? I mean of course!" "Eh? Oh, yeah, right bro!"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei cackles. "All right, then." They trust him? Let's see if they trust him when he melts into the scenery.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He's going to follow the plan, of course, but the point was to split up… and as far as they're concerned, who knows what he'll do?
PM <Jaito> The two look at each other uneasily, then move together into the clearing. She summons the red light back to her weapons…and they step inside.
PM <Jaito> The two 1500 soldiers are lying in the middle of the clearing, the transmitter set between them.
PM <Jaito> The AI turns…and looks at them. "So, you made it. And I do not detect active demons nearby. How clever of you."
PM <Jaito> Lereaux gives a cold smile. "We won't be falling for your trap…but why?!"
PM <Jaito> The AI grins. "You'd be amazed what sorts of trinkets people leave behind. My new masters adore a good trophy. It will reflect well on me in their courts. I have…outgrown a dead country."
PM <Jaito> Mamat looks horrified. "You…you betrayed your allies, to bribe some demons?!!!"
PM <Jaito> The AI grins. "Just so. And on that note…" She snaps her fingers…and the transmitter explodes.
PM <Jaito> (One sec.)
PM <Jaito> They both slam back into trees, incapacitated…and from safely out of range, the woman Mizunami steps forward. Wearing a torn-to-the-navel bodysuit and a literally bloody smirk, she walks over to her allies. "…the game is up, I think…and I'm just so hungry..
PM <Jaito> There's an odd mark on belly…which starts to glow. Like cracks, the glow spreads…
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …Well.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> That didn't go as planned. Time for Plan B.
PM <Jaito> The woman spreads her arms…and changes. Hard, red chitin forms around her arms and legs like armor, elevating her on three peaked prongs like claw feet. Her nails elongate…her head covers over entirely with a crest of red, a dozen eyeslits along it…and her ribs open like a maw, eager to embrace.
PM <Jaito> Inside is only blood and blackness. An Asura.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> From the bushes, the shadow of Oberon rises up, empty eyes filled with rage… and lightning. Mostly the lightning. A glowing sword strikes out from the shadows as the woman transforms.
PM <Jaito> PLAYER ADVANTAGE! (Whacha doin'?)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (arm chopper. :3)
PM <Jaito> (Roll your 2 twice!)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (2,2)
PM <Jaito> Both slices dig into demonic flesh, tearing into her horribly…but she pulls herself up and HOWLS…a mix of an erotic scream of ecstasy and an alien cry of hunger…as she charges, faster than Shousei's eyes can track!
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Crap. Boss fight.
PM <Jaito> ATTACK: 3 vs. Defense: ….
PM <Jaito> She opens WIDE, intending to wrap him in a hug of her ribs - which snap out to enfold a wingspan of several feet.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Well- he might not need to know where she is if /he's/ just sufficiently far from where he was previously- and he's learned a little from the fight with Wen. Don't let a tank get the advantage. As quickly as he appeared, he's gone again, disappearing behind a pair of entwined trees. It's a little thick in here to have an attack that big, isn't it? Have a mouthful of shrubbery.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> (6 for dodge)
PM <Jaito> SPIN!!! (+1 on next attack. He's up!)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Crapcrapcrap didn't Kisses give me that training program? Wasn't that the point of coming here? "Hey- help me, will you?" He hisses, his voice strange, overlaid with Oberon's. "How do I take down an Asura?"
PM Kaji quit IRC (Client exited)
PM <Jaito> "Overwhelming force. Many of them have supernatural strength, speed, or recovery. And they have a dangerous Hunger, which can make them even MORE dangerous if they lose control! Never fight one alone!"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Right. So I'm fucked." Technically, I'm not alone, but… he doesn't think that quite counts.
PM <Jaito> …just then. Something catches in his mind…it's not fully developed, but…he can tap into it. (If you want, you can, in fact, compel a relationship…)
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei glances out from behind a tree. Come on. He's supposed to be the leader, right? He can't just let them get hurt. He can't just fail this. Oh, he wants to run away right now so badly, or at least taunt this thing and drag it with him and let someone else deal with it, but… on another level, he really /likes/ being trusted. And there's Wen's stupid idiot face in his head, unbidden,…
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …looking disappointed in him for even thinking of it. He swears if the man wasn't a cardiac patient he'd punch him in his stupid face, no matter how much bigger he is.
PM <Jaito> And a word lingers on his lips….Zouchouten…
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He closes his eyes and grumbles. "Stupid Zouchouten…"
PM <Jaito> Shousei feels a sudden rush of manly energy. No…this is fun. He can see Lereaux and Mamat struggling to stand…nah, let 'em rest. He's got this. After all, this is HIS stage! The blue light rises and Oberon descends, fading to a blue card…which flips, disappears, and is replaced….
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> …This /is/ fun.
PM <Jaito> In a sudden burst, a rooster-haired giant in…cyberpunk samurai armor, bulky and reinforced everywhere but the bear and blood-red fists peering through. The form is massive, demonic, and grinning like a very familiar young man.
PM <Jaito> And then the Persona punches the demon right in the maw.
PM <Jaito> ATTACK: 9!!!!
PM <Jaito> vs. Defense 6 - SPIN! POWER: 5 vs. Defense: 2 - WHAT A HIT!!!!
PM <Jaito> The air folds in under the raw force, then the asura is LAUNCHED through half a grove of trees, only to fall back into human form and collapse.
PM <Jaito> The Persona lets out a disdainful grunt, before fading back into Shousei's light.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei cackles madly at the glow. "Fuck you! Yeah, run while there's still time! Actually- hey, it won't help you, will it?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> Shousei jogs forward to check if the Asura is just faking.
PM <Jaito> The women sits up, but Lereaux is there with a gun to her head. Mamat is casually rolling a grenade by the pin on his finger. Isn't that …dangerous?
PM <Jaito> Mizunami…winces. "I…yield. I just…the fighting never ends…I kill and I kill and I kill…unti….y'know…they're all meat. It was…it was an accident, the first one…how do I stop? How do I go back, after that? So…so the others HAD to pay…I needed…I needed to run away!"
PM <Jaito> "I…belong with the monsters."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Oh, sit up and stop being dumb. I don't know what your problem is, but I bet attacking people isn't going to solve it."
PM <Jaito> She…looks amazed at him. "You're…not going to kill me?"
PM <Jaito> Lereaux and Mamat are both smiling. At Shousei!
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Why the hell would I bother? Unless you do something stupid like try to kill /us/ again, I mean." His body language is different. Noticably different. "If you want to wallow in guilt and call yourself a monster, I hear making up for your crimes is way better for that."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Hey Lereaux, can you un-unconscious those guys?"
PM <Jaito> She nods, "Hai!" and goes over to tend to them with her Persona.
PM <Jaito> Mamat kneels over her. "Hey…the road to a better soul is to free oneself from suffering via compassion. So…" He reaches into his pockets. "Coffee? It's still mostly warm."
PM <Jaito> She accepts the can more out of shock than anything.
PM <Jaito> And Shousei hears that damn music again…
PM <Jaito> V. The Hierophant…
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…" He raises an eyebrow. "What the hell /is/ that?"
PM <Jaito> …though…this girl, lovely and buxom as she is…looks oddly famil-
PM <Jaito> …the girl at the hospital!
PM <Jaito> Mamat and Lereaux look up. "What's what?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He looks at the two of them. "Do you even see- model woman!"
PM <Jaito> Mizunami doesn't seem to hear him. "Well…you did save the team and defeat the 'demons'…so I guess I owe you payment. I've got some basic explosives…some spare combat armor…or this?" She points to an earring. "It gives me early warning sometimes…I didn't even THINK you'd get the drop on me."
PM <Jaito> Lereaux blinks. "…do you know the actress?"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "You're the quiet one from the hospital with that poster!" He looks at Lereaux. "Actress?"
PM <Jaito> The Asura doesn't respond…as if he isn't saying anything.
PM <Jaito> Mamat smirks. "As advanced as it is, this is still just a game. An ARc actress is a mix of a body model and some programmed responses. Some people even get famous for their complex NPCs…this one's pretty good."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…Ohh."
PM <Jaito> The NPC smiles. "I'm flattered…that you can still think of me as human. Maybe, when you're older, we can have a more…/intimate/ conversation."
PM <Jaito> Lereaux and Mamat go red. "Do you NOT have your controls set?" "Bro, what you do at home is your business, but…."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Well, that makes me feel less-" He blinks, then looks irritated. "I tried! I can't fix them!"
PM <Jaito> They both….nod, not entirely convinced. "Ahem, anyway-" Lereaux says. "Pick a reward. We're done with the storyline."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Hmmph. Give me the damn earring." He wasn't going to ask, even though it is useful, because… well, earring. But he's not thinking of that right now.
PM <Jaito> She offers it with a smile. "You're really impressive, Murakami Seven Veils. Call me sometime if you need a tutorial on the Asura." She dusts herself off, lifts her friends onto her shoulders with little effort, and heads over to their support craft.
PM <Jaito> Soon, they're out of sight.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He sighs.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…So, one of you is going to have to explain this magic cards, sparkly music, multiple Persona thing because I don't think the woman I emailed is going to mail me back."
PM <Jaito> FRIEND ADDED: Mizunami (NPC, Asura Mentor)
PM <Jaito> "Multiple…persona?"
PM <Jaito> They look at each other, perplexed.
PM <Jaito> Lereaux shakes her head. "You must be confused. Sometimes, Persona can improve, but you're nowhere near that level. Even I'm not."
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "Uh, yeah. Were you not paying-" he shakes his head. "Excuse me."
PM <Jaito> "In any case…let's just get out of here. I've got a talisman to pla-"
PM <Jaito> POW
PM <Jaito> "Ow!"
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "…?" What the hell?
PM <Jaito> The two of them immediately descend into an argument.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He raises an eyebrow. Now that the immediate rush has faded, he feels a little silly.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> He's pretty goddamn certain of what just happened- it matches up with Xiao's statement, anyway- but you know what? Maybe they don't want to know.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> His body language goes back to… well, Veils-normal. "…I have a family thing to get to. Don't kill each other."
PM <Jaito> They both glare at him, then head off in opposite directions…both then send PMs complaining about the other ruining the moment.
PM <Shousei_Yamazaki> "I'll just figure things out myself." He laughs, and may not stop until he gets out of the park.